Dive into Stephen Sondheim's love for escape rooms, examining the cultural intersections between theater and interactive games. Featuring immersive theater creator Kellian Adams Pletcher, escape room enthusiasts Lisa and David Spira, and game studies expert Nicholas Fortugno, the discussion centers on Sondheim's love for this new medium. The episode includes anecdotes from escape room designers (Michael Counts, Taylor Myers) and players who experienced games with Sondheim (Jonathan Marc Sherman), illuminating his passion and commitment to the craft. The conversation also explores the broader cultural acceptance of escape rooms as legitimate art forms and their evolutionary journey from traditional puzzles to intricate immersive experiences. This episode will also ask: Do you know what time it is?

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00:00 Introduction to Matching Minds with Sondheim

01:11 Guest Introductions

07:19 The Evolution of Escape Rooms

13:29 Taylor Myers on Paradiso and Immersive Theater

23:53 Michael Counts: The Intersection of Theater and Escape Rooms

29:46 Sondheim's Hidden Treasure Hunt

31:39 The Art of Game Design

36:56 Sondheim's Escape Room Adventures

43:09 Reflections on Escape Rooms and Art

47:44 Sondheim's Thoughts on Escape Rooms

54:12 Final Thoughts and Farewell